Course Information

St. John the Evangelist Orthodox Church will be hosting a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd course July 5-11, 2017 (without a meeting on Sunday) to offer catechists Part One of Level One which serves children ages 3-6 years old. See our detailed CGS PDF brochure here.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Course Sponsor | St. John the Evangelist Orthodox Church, Tempe AZ
Dates| July 5-11, 2017 (no course on Sunday)
Time |9 AM – 4 PM (snacks and lunch are provided)
Courses Offered| CGS Level I – Part 1 of 2 parts covering a 3-year cycle of presentations for the 3-6 year old child. Course #1-1391
CGS Level I – Part 2 to be held at St. John’s – Summer 2018

IF PAYING BY CHECK
Make checks payable to St. John Orthodox Church
Memo on check CGS Formation Course
Send check via post St. John Orthodox Church
Attn: Mat. Samantha Paez
916 S. 52nd St.
Tempe, AZ 85281

About our Formation Leader:

Shelley Finkler discovered Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in 2006 when the first atrium in Alaska opened. At that time, her husband was working for the Catholic Archdiocese of Anchorage directing Religious Education and he immediately recognized that this method of spiritual formation was the best approach available to Catholic parishes.
In 2007 the family converted to the Orthodox Faith and in 2008 Shelley became a Level 2 catechist, serving in a Catholic parish setting.

In 2010, she began an Orthodox Level 1 atrium at St John Orthodox Cathedral in Eagle River, Alaska. This was only the second of three Orthodox Catechesis of the Good Shepherd programs nationally. The response of the children to this method of Christian Education was overwhelmingly positive, leading to the establishment of all three levels of atrium at St John Cathedral.

In 2016 Shelley became a recognized Formation Leader with the National Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She has led courses at St Herman Theological Seminary on Kodiak Island, Alaska; in both Catholic and Orthodox parish settings in Alaska and will soon be offering a course, at St Tikhon Orthodox Theological Seminary.

Shelley’s background in both Catholic and Orthodox theology has been helpful in thoroughly understanding the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd’s Catholic foundation and how to translate that foundation for use in Orthodox communities, while preserving the original intent of the program; listening together with children to God.

Shelley looks forward to many more years of sharing this beautiful method of spiritual formation with adults to prepare them to serve their children’s spiritual formation using Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.